LETTER: Takers vs. makers

Published: Monday, November 12, 2012 at 7:03 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, November 12, 2012 at 7:18 p.m.

My good friend and former co-worker, John Floyd, recently wrote a column in The Times in which he divided the U.S. into makers and takers. It is the same idea Mitt Romney spoke about at a fundraiser in Florida a while back.

Of course, they both are entitled to voice their opinions, but I am not in agreement with them. I am persuaded by Bureau of Labor Statistics data that shows U.S. workers are the most productive in the world, yet we are not the highest compensated.

I also have read that CEO pay has gone from 40 times the average worker's pay in 1980 to 400 times the average workers' pay today. The BLS statistics also show worker compensation has not increased at all during that time.

Now it looks to me that BLS statistics should carry more weight than someone's opinion. I believe the CEOs are the takers and the workers are the makers. In fact, taxpayer payments to corporations — and thus to CEOs — are twice that paid to ordinary citizens.

Here in the poor state of Alabama, two corporations have received $1 billion in taxpayer payments in recent years. Goodyear received $250 million and ThyssenKrupp got $750 million. Now to me, that is welfare to corporations, and it may be a good thing. A lot of educated people seem to think so. But it is a curious thing to me that the same folks who obviously know this also think welfare just goes to individuals.

That leads them to believe CEOs are makers and poor people are takers. I will never believe that.

<p>My good friend and former co-worker, John Floyd, recently wrote a column in The Times in which he divided the U.S. into makers and takers. It is the same idea Mitt Romney spoke about at a fundraiser in Florida a while back.</p><p>Of course, they both are entitled to voice their opinions, but I am not in agreement with them. I am persuaded by Bureau of Labor Statistics data that shows U.S. workers are the most productive in the world, yet we are not the highest compensated.</p><p>I also have read that CEO pay has gone from 40 times the average worker's pay in 1980 to 400 times the average workers' pay today. The BLS statistics also show worker compensation has not increased at all during that time.</p><p>Now it looks to me that BLS statistics should carry more weight than someone's opinion. I believe the CEOs are the takers and the workers are the makers. In fact, taxpayer payments to corporations — and thus to CEOs — are twice that paid to ordinary citizens. </p><p>Here in the poor state of Alabama, two corporations have received $1 billion in taxpayer payments in recent years. <a href="http://www.gadsdentimes.com/goodyear"><b>Goodyear</b></a> received $250 million and ThyssenKrupp got $750 million. Now to me, that is welfare to corporations, and it may be a good thing. A lot of educated people seem to think so. But it is a curious thing to me that the same folks who obviously know this also think welfare just goes to individuals.</p><p>That leads them to believe CEOs are makers and poor people are takers. I will never believe that.</p><p>Alan C. Hayes</p><p>Gadsden</p>